The formula of this was impressive; it was not perfect, but it was nearly so, and for a yellow cream, both noteworthy and much-welcomed. The initial coat was a little streaky, but the second coat covered the streakiness entirely and left behind a beautiful, smooth, and even result. It’s fully opaque after two coats, and the texture wasn’t too thick or too thin–just right. The polish flowed well across the nail without bubbling or pooling along the edges. It dried to a naturally shiny finish as well, so you could skip the top coat. I usually get a full seven days of wear out of Cult Nails’ formula with very minor tip wear but no chipping.

Cult Nails Let’s Get Dirty Nail Lacquer ($12.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “wax finish taupe.” It’s a mauve-ish taupe with a very faint shimmer that is barely visible if the polish is applied on its own, and then the shimmer is more noticeable if a top coat is applied. It has a waxy or rubbery finish–mostly matte but not a chalky, flat matte. Chanel Frenzy is browner and a cream, so it doesn’t have the wax finish. Barielle Belly Dance is very similar if Let’s Get Dirty has a top coat layered over it.

Let’s Get Dirty is opaque after two coats of polish, and it had a slightly thick consistency, but thanks to the wax finish, the drying time is quicker than the average nail lacquer. It can pool a bit along the edges if you aren’t careful, due to the thicker formula. I like that it has a versatile finish, because a top coat really does bring out the shimmer and gives it a different look. I usually get a full week of wear with very minor tip wear and no chipping with Cult Nails’ formula.

Cult Nails 2nd Anniversary Collection

It’s our 2nd Anniversary! Grab the new 2nd Anniversary Special Release NOW! For a limited time (while supplies last) each bottle of Blaze purchased will come with a free gift. The free gift will be either a pair of cubic zirconia earrings, a pair of 1/2 carat genuine diamond earrings (2 pairs will be given away), OR 1 pair of 1 carat genuine diamond earrings (1 pair will be given away). FREE GIFT ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

Top 10 of 2012: Best Nail Lacquers

I really don’t know how I managed to keep this list to ten, because I feel like I fall in love with a new polish every week. There were SO many more amazing polishes that aren’t on this list, though. I tried to go across brands and put together a list of ones that really struck me or were more original.

Cult Nails Happy Ending Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) contains shredded multi-colored flakes suspended in a clear base. There’s aqua-blue, copper, gold, and lavender from what I can see–I swear I see a hint of green, but I think it might be the gold. I don’t have anything like this, and I’m not even sure if I have more than one or two shredded polishes on hand. Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday is the closest I could think of, but it’s multi-sized glitter particles (squares and hexagons) with a lot of green in it. Even though the sizes/shapes are different, I think the two yield at least a comparable feel: a big ol’ glitter-party on your nails.

The consistency of Happy Ending is on the thicker side–if you have a lot of glitters in clear bases, it definitely has a sort of gel-like consistency that gives it a thicker feel and look. It does help suspend and keep the glitter shards in it, though, which means you don’t have to try and grab the pieces out of the bottle. They do need to be pushed around to get an even (sort of) layer of shredded glitter. I dabbled a blob of it on the center of the nail and then pushed and maneuvered the pieces around. It’s unique enough to be worth the trouble, but it’s not something I’d reach for often, just because it takes patience and some skill to use.